Brian Ramsay, executive director of the Canada Football League Players Association, offered his views on several hot-button issues in a mid-season(ish) Q and A with Postmedia. The content has been edited for brevity.

Q: Quarterbacks have been injured in a variety of ways all over the league. Do you believe there is a common thread and has the CFL done enough to protect them?

A: We look at every position and we look at all the injuries. And we do look at the details, whether they are contact or non-contact injuries. It’s hard to say right now if there is a correlation, but we will be diving into that in the off-season. Player safety continues to be the No. 1 concern, so we have taken steps. I look at the stats for reduction in padded practices. That’s an initiative that has had some time to work. When you look at that data and see there is a reduction of 35% of injuries in practice, injuries in totality, we know that’s a positive thing.

Q: There were positive tests for PEDs in Ottawa (Louis-Philippe Bourassa) and Winnipeg (Andrew Harris) and each player pointed to an over-the-counter supplement as the source. Do you provide education for players as to what they should be taking?

A: We do have those conversations. The use of PEDs is rare, as you know. The instances we’ve seen we believe to have been mistakes, taking inappropriate or mislabelled supplements. Going back to Andrew, he has come to us and we’ll be working with him to build out a program and increase the education and awareness.

Q: Harris seemed to have been the subject of so-called random testing quite often. Do you monitor who is being tested?

A: We are comfortable (with it). What we do is audit the system that the drug-testing laboratory uses. We have done that in the past to make sure it is of a random nature.

Q: CFL 2.0 produced a TV deal in Mexico, there are supposed to be streaming deals coming in Mexico and Europe as well. Are you feeling more like a partner in that initiative than you were in the beginning of the process?

A: If there is a way to increase the fan base and revenues and people enjoying our game, that’s a good thing for everybody. We have been vocal in the past about wanting to be partners and as players we believe we have come out of bargaining taking steps forward in that. Speaking specifically to 2.0 we do believe we have a partnership in that and we will be working to increase that because we see the benefit to all.

Q: The CFL will be holding player combines all over Europe. Will current CFL players be involved in any way in those events?

A: Those discussions have just started to happen. In terms of active player involvement, when we talk about positive exposure across the globe for our league, those are conversations our players want to be part of, yes.

Q: Does the CFLPA have any objection to the league’s continued ownership of the Alouettes? Is there any conflict of interest there that concerns you?

A: We’ve had some discussions on that. Our understanding is the league is working hard to find an ownership group in that market. We keep a close eye on it, definitely.

Q: Sources tell me the league has agreed to a new TV deal with TSN that will run through 2025 and includes a bump in revenue. How will the sharing of increased revenue work?

A: We have yet to see that deal but we will and we will be sending our expert auditor in to review it and report back. We do have an additional stake but it’s very hard to comment on that until we’ve had a chance to review the contract.

Q: Speaking of finances, the Lions went public with Mike Reilly’s salary during free agency. Is there any benefit to the CFLPA in league-wide salary transparency?

A: I think it’s a discussion we could have internally with the players. I think the discussion would encapsulate transparency across the league, in terms of coaching and front office. If we’re going to explore that road, that has to be part of the conversation as well.

Q: Does it surprise you that the CBA hasn’t been made public yet?

A: Surprised? No. We’re eagerly anticipating its release. When we receive the final draft from the league we will be looking to make it available as soon as possible.

CFL will level testing field for second wave of global hopefuls

Canadian Football League commissioner Randy Ambrosie wants to level the testing field for a second wave of global players.

The CFL will stage player combines in Mexico City, Paris and other European cities in January and February of 2020, and will invite the best prospects from most of those events to an international combine scheduled for Toronto in March of next year.

The Mexico City combine is set for Jan. 11 and 12, 2020, and according to Alejandro Jaimes, commissioner of the Liga de Futbol Americano Profesional, another CFL draft of Mexican talent will be held on Jan. 13.

The CFL’s first international combine and draft were also held in Mexico City last January.

“Our goal is to have between 40 and 50 players; 50% will be seniors of the university programs and the other 50% will be LFA active players,” Jaimes said in an email to Postmedia.

The Paris combine has been scheduled for Jan. 18 and 19, 2020.

“We hope to invite the top 30 national players,” said Pierre Trochet, head of business operations and international relationships for the French American Football Federation. “Then, CFL football operations will advise on which of them should attend the 2020 CFL combine.”

Details are also being finalized for combines in Germany and Great Britain, and there will likely be others.

“It will all culminate with the best of the best being invited to our big combine here in Toronto in March,” said Ambrosie. “That will give our scouts, GMs and coaches a chance to see all the very best players, Canadians and all these global players, together under one roof.”

That said, he wants the global players on the same footing as the Canadians, and the league will do what it can to ensure that happens during testing. Eighteen global players went through the initial international combine in Toronto last March, and nine were chosen by CFL teams in a subsequent one-round draft.

“In a lot of those countries, the players are not used to a lot of the combine testing routines,” said Ambrosie. “We’re going to do some training so these young men actually get a chance to do the shuttle run and all the various tests we are going to put them through, so there is a level playing field. So that they’re not coming in and running one of these tests for the very first time, against a young player who has maybe done it 50 times. We’re working on that.”

As part of CFL 2.0, an ambitious global outreach initiative, the CFL has signed working agreements with leagues and federations in 10 countries: Mexico, Germany, France, Austria, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden.

“We talk about being a family; families fight. That’s part of it, you don’t want to have it, you don’t want to see it, I’m not happy about it, but it is reality at times.” – Eskimos’ head coach Jason Maas addressing the on-field, between-plays altercation between defensive teammates Vontae Diggs and Josh Johnson.

0 – Toronto receiver Derel Walker’s rushing yards. He has three carries and one TD.

0 – Edmonton and Ottawa offensive drives that have ended in touchdowns when the team gave up at least one sack.

0 – Number of times the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have been stopped on third-and-short. They are eight-for-eight. League-wide success rate is 83%.

0 – Coach’s challenges won by Calgary’s Dave Dickenson. He’s zero-for-four, and the only coach without a successful challenge. League-wide success rate is 45%.

Week 14 CFL picks

Ottawa (3-8) at B.C. (1-10)

Friday at 10 p.m. ET

The schedule-maker now offers the Lions a chance to salvage something from this sadsack season, as they go back-to-back with the Redblacks, who are 1-8 in their last nine and show virtually no signs of stopping the slide. B.C.’s Mike Reilly, now the only opening-day starting QB in the CFL who hasn’t missed significant playing time due to injury despite being sacked 45 times, should have a field day against an Ottawa defence that sports a league-low total of just seven interceptions. Redblacks’ QB Jonathon Jennings is probably excited about his return to B.C. — he had some very good days under the dome in 2016 — but the prospects for triumph are quite dim indeed. Lions by seven.

Hamilton (9-2) at Calgary (7-4)

Saturday at 4 p.m. ET

There are few stats that separate these two high-powered teams, but a couple of them could be game-changers. Calgary has converted 31 turnovers into a CFL-high 87 points, the Tabbies have scored just 43 points off 30 turnovers. Each team has given up just 21 turnovers on the season, so they should come at a premium. The other point of interest is the return game, which favours Hamilton by a large margin. They have 14 big-play returns of more than 30 yards and five return TDs, to just six big-play returns and one TD for Calgary. However, you also have to factor in QB Bo Levi Mitchell’s ridiculous winning percentage, which exceeds .800, and Calgary’s definitive home field advantage, so it’s Stamps by five.

Montreal (6-4) at Saskatchewan (7-4)

Saturday at 7 p.m. ET

These teams protect the ball and the QB with almost equal proficiency, and each had just a pair of sacks on Aug. 9, when the Riders won 17-10 in Montreal. But QB Vernon Adams Jr. wasn’t in the Als’ lineup that day and his scrambling ability presents a serious challenge for a Saskatchewan defence that has piled up 34 sacks on the season, to just 15 for Montreal. The Riders have the edge in punting average and kick return yardage as well, but their cover teams have been suspect for most of the season, giving up a league-high five return TDs, to just two allowed by the Alouettes. All that said, Mosaic’s madness is usually worth some points, so call it Riders by four.

Postmedia record: 36-14

Dan Barnes: 30-13

Tim Baines: 6-1

Week 14 CFL rankings

Hamilton (1)

The Tabbies’ perch atop the rankings is in some jeopardy this week, as they head into McMahon Stadium. They’re 5-1 against west opponents but 3-2 on the road. That said, they’re coming off a bye in reasonably good health.

Winnipeg (3)

The Bombers don’t miss a beat whenever QB Chris Streveler makes good decisions with the football, as he did against the Riders. He’s growing as a starter in the absence of the injured Matt Nichols, and it will present a situation for management in the off-season. But it’s obviously a good one to have right now. And how about that Willie Jefferson? Getting some love for MOP now.

Calgary (4)

Nobody should really be surprised that the Stamps are climbing into a race for first place in the west. It’s what they do. Calgary’s record against divisional opponents is a sterling 5-1, and it’s getting more difficult to bet against them hosting a playoff tilt.

Saskatchewan (2)

Yes, the Riders fell back to earth — it’s flat and hard on the Prairies — and the landing was especially uncomfortable after their behinds took a serious kicking in Winnipeg. The Riders have beaten some good teams, and looked out-classed by others, so it’s hard to get a deep read on Craig Dickenson’s 7-4 team.

Montreal (5)

The feel-good story of the season has a few more chapters to run yet, apparently. QB Vernon Adams Jr. continues to stir the drink for the Als, and it’s a potent mix of razzle-dazzle, a solid ground game and the long ball. They’re so much fun to watch that it’s almost hard to believe nobody wants to buy them. Almost.

Edmonton (6)

As they were falling meekly to the Stamps, for a third time this season, the Eskimos decided that another L wasn’t humiliating enough. Two of Edmonton’s defensive players got into an altercation WITH ONE ANOTHER, ON THE FIELD, DURING THE GAME! They’re a .500 team now and sliding toward irrelevancy in the West.

Toronto (8)

A rushing TD. Then another one. And finally a road win. Will wonders never cease? The Argos folded, spindled and mutilated the Redblacks, and look to be finding some necessary form on offence.

B.C. (9)

With two games against Ottawa and another versus Toronto in the next four, the Lions can limit the embarrassment for awhile. Maybe. They allowed just two sacks in a loss to Montreal last week, and that amounts to progress.

Ottawa (7)

This is the kind of season that ends in the firing of a head coach or a general manager or both. The Redblacks got out of the gate at 2-0 and haven’t looked remotely competitive since. It’s pretty obvious that free agency left them without the depth of talent to get it done, so that’s on the GM. But GMs are usually allowed to fire a head coach or two before they get the gong. So who knows?